The club should at the very least be contacting lapsed members to ask why they've chosen not to renew. Who knows, they may actually get some information more useful than "our supporters are apathetic".

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Apparently there's 8,000 from last season that haven't renewed...much higher number than I thought if correct.

I thought the numbers were meant to skyrocket with Ratten being gone and Malthouse coming in?

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

Carlton supporters are a funny (apathetic) lot...

They sure are. It just doesn't make any sense to me. There must be some kind of widespread sense of grievance underpinning it all - but what is the source of that grievance? Are things really THAT bad?

Legitimate finals aspirant since 2009, new captain, new and highly respected coach, a huge supporters base...

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

That's an incredible figure and means that to even maintain our last years memberships numbers we are doing something right in getting new members - but must be doing something incredibly bad to piss off 20% of existing members not to renew. I can't believe it's all related to our onfield performances.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Maybe. Depends who you are. Last year Carlton allowed their 'Communications Manager' to speak at National Conferences as 'keynote speaker'...that would have been all well and good if the bloke knew three things about 21st century communications. It was things like that that kept building up and made us also-rans in the competition. By the time he was sacked it was 5 years too late. That made a difference to me. Certainly affected my decision, so I chose where my money went and when that avenue (Spirit of Carlton) was taken away...membership wasn't an option.

Others would view the purchase of a membership as an investment...what are they going to get for their return? The Carlton product isn't that great right now. Are you being entertained? Are you getting value for money? Is it more comfortable to sit at home and watch it in the comfort of your living room where the beer is colder, the food better, the opposition supporters less annoying and the toilets cleaner? Is membership for the diehards and lovers of live football?

Other than that - GWS wrote the best line written on here in a while that perfectly sums up why Collingwood membership is closing in on 80,000...The typical Carlton supporter votes with his/her wallet whilst the typical Collingwood supporter tries to knock that wallet off.

Yep = Treatment of ex-Carlton great, etihad stadium & lack of on-field success or even a glimpse of improvement with majority now losing faith. Some won't even like this statement even more but a lot of our supporters are finding it even harder to accept the new coach. Don't shoot the messenger, just telling you what I keep hearing.

It's a good line (and very true!), but I (and the club) would rather be in Collingwood's membership position than our own.

I take your point about Coutts, and while I respect your view, I would suggest that Coutts' continued employment at the club was probably not a decisive factor for most supporters in their weighing up of whether or not they should sign up. Hell, I would not be surprised if many of our supporters had never even heard of him. While some, particularly on this site, placed his performance under scrutiny, I have trouble believing that he was ever a widespread source of grievance.

What is so horrible about the Carlton "product" right now? We have been a finals aspirant since 2009. We have had one of the best players of his generation playing for us, and now we have a man considered to be one of the great coaches at the helm. We have comfortably outperformed both Essendon* and Richmond in recent years. Essendon* have not won a final since 2004. Richmond have not won a flag since 1982 and their last finals appearance was in 2001! If any team's supporters were going to lose faith over the years, it would be Richmond's. But year after year, they jump aboard in their droves. From the outside, you would not say that either club has been particularly well run (look at what Essendon* are going through now!) over the years, with each making numerous poor administrative and footballing appointments and decisions along the way. Yet these clubs' membership numbers leave us in the shade. What makes either of those clubs so attractive relative to us?

No doubt that it is easier and more convenient than ever to just watch the game on TV from the comfort of home. But that would be the case for supporters of all clubs. It doesn't seem to have stopped supporters of Collingwood, Hawthorn, Richmond and Essendon* from signing up.

It's a real mystery...

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

I'm sure if the club made some phonecalls to these people, they might be able to figure it out.

Maybe they could conduct a survey (via email perhaps, to make it less intrusive) of the people in their database who have not renewed, with genuine tough questions about "Why have you chosen not to renew, and how can the club rectify it". From those results they can then draw graphs and thingies that paint a picture. You know, standard market research 101.

This might prove more effective than "If you don't sign up we won't be going to the G"

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

Give plenty of attention to our membership number ...but I wouldn't worry about the others. I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again...we were 15,000 members down on Hawthorn last year and finished just behind them in terms of revenue derived from memberships. More than Essendon*. More than Richmond. People attending our games? Healthy. If Stephen Gough asked me tomorrow to present reasons as to why Carlton deserves to call the MCG home - I could whip up a presentation in half a day and get it a dozen copies couriered to his office. There are plenty of compelling reasons as to why we are still relevant, still a big Melbourne club and plenty of evidence to suggest a move to the MCG will only increase attendances at Carlton games.

Potential for 1000 today if everyone currently at the ground buys one

that or sticks is a great leader.. and we all follow him and his vision... and his 3 flags in 2 seasons yet to play....

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

29k only today.

And someone on radio said it was a good crowd

Monday night would have scared plenty away.

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I just want my old club back ... (edit) maybe I have!

45,008

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dane's trolling again

21/05/2012 - 45,012
20/05/2013 - 45,008

I suppose now we're just hoping to top last year?

Gotta get 794 more before end of June.

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dane's trolling again

45,091

Everyone else get the email today promoting the free edition of "From the Coach'?

What a load of shit. They're not showing already paid up members how good it is to get exclusive content. They're showing us how they try to milk us of every cent we have. They're creating this content regardless, it's just a kick in the guts that someone like myself, who pays over $1k a year in memberships (let alone the costs of going to games) that they want me to pay an extra $50.

I chose not to sign up to this package when I renewed and thought it was poor form then too but getting an email about it today just grinds my gears. and for the record I didn't watch the 'teaser' video they sent with the email.

I raised this at the supporter night earlier this year.

It should be inclusive to the membership cost as additional value.